Dont get pricked, get a new improved Cactus, with lower running costs and airbump technology.

• New Citroën C4 Cactus launches in the UK
• Priced from just £12,990 to £18,190 (MRRP OTR)
• Unique Airbump^® technology provides style with substance to absorb minor impacts
• 200kg lighter than an equivalent Citroën C4
• Up to 91mpg fuel economy & low CO₂ emissions from 82g/km
• Running costs 20% lower than conventional C segment hatchbacks
• Intuitive & innovative technology includes a fully digital Touch Drive interface, roof-mounted airbag & ‘Magic Wash’ windscreen wipers

The New Citroën C4 Cactus is a bold response to the changing needs and priorities of today’s car owners, offering a real alternative to the traditional compact hatchback, with a fresh and distinctive approach.

Visually striking, the New C4 Cactus stands out in the competitive C segment with its concept car looks, crossover styling cues and a broad range of customisation options.

Simplicity and efficiency combine with practicality and low ownership costs in a unique blend of form and function to offer more of what really counts to new car buyers.

The Citroën C4 Cactus heralds a new approach to automotive design, providing;

• More design
• Greater comfort
• More useful technology
• …with a reduced cost of ownership.

New Citroën C4 Cactus highlights include;

• Revolutionary Airbump^® technology, a stand-out design feature that absorbs minor impacts
• A fully digital, intuitive interface with controls grouped around a 7-inch touchscreen
• Wide sofa-style front seats
• ‘Magic Wash’ windscreen wipers that reduce washer fluid consumption and reservoir size by 50%
• The world’s first roof-mounted passenger airbag, allowing for more in-dash storage
• A panoramic glazed roof with advanced heat protection
• Impressive efficiency, with up to 91mpg fuel economy and CO₂ emissions from 82g/km
• Running costs reduced by around 20% compared to a typical C segment hatchback

The New C4 Cactus is available with three high specification trim levels – Touch, Feel & Flair – with prices starting from £12,990 for the petrol PureTech 75 manual Touch, rising to £18,190 for the ETG6 equipped e-HDi 92 Flair.

BUYER PROFILE

The New Citroën C4 Cactus sits at a market sector crossroads, offering a stylish alternative to a conventional C segment hatchback; more space than a B segment crossover; and a downsizing opportunity from larger C segment crossovers. Combining the best of crossover and hatchback, the New C4 Cactus pioneers the concept of the ‘Crosshatch’.

Typical C segment hatchback buyers look for attractive styling, reliability, functionality and value-for-money. A variety of needs must be satisfied, rather than one dominating factor. In contrast, B and C segment crossover customers place greater emphasis on distinctive styling, a sense of fun, personality and innovation.

The New Citroën C4 Cactus will exceed expectations for all of these consumer groups. It is designed to appeal to the heart, with its unique personalised styling, expressive design and pleasurable driving characteristics. It will also make sense as the smart choice, thanks to the lower cost of ownership, useable technologies, space and practicality.

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MORE DESIGN

The New Citroën C4 Cactus’ refreshingly modern exterior incorporates elements of crossover styling – such as a semi-raised ride height, wheel arch protection, short overhangs and roof bars – within a compact and eye-catching design.

Externally, the New Citroën C4 Cactus features pure, smooth surfaces with flowing lines. An ideal profile in terms of styling – with 1/3 glazed areas and 2/3 body panels – stand-out features include the floating roof, floating rear quarter-panels and Citroën’s unique Airbump^® technology.

At the front, the car features a high-tech light signature with LED daytime running lights and headlights seamlessly integrated into the bumper.

Offering exterior personalisation, the New C4 Cactus is available in 10 body colours, from eye-catching Hello Yellow to elegant Pearl White. All versions are fitted with black Airbump^® as standard with three additional colours – Stone Grey, Dune & Chocolate – also available depending on the body colour.

The standard specification black door mirrors and rear quarter-panel inserts can be changed to a choice of red or white. The roof bars can also be personalised, with an optional gloss white finish or standard gloss black. A range of stylish wheels come in 15 to 17-inch diameters, including four alloy designs.

Inside, there are five choices of seat upholstery – including velour, cloth and leather options – complemented by three interior ambiences (door trims and dashboard) – Stone Grey, Purple Highlight and Habana Highlight.

The interior is de-cluttered and minimalist, with clean lines and design nods to the theme of travel. The door handles are inspired by leather luggage straps and the lid of the Top-Box dashboard storage compartment has its own luggage-inspired design.

The uniquely shaped large panoramic sunroof features a state-of-the-art coating, equivalent to category-4 sunglasses, to filter UV light and reflect heat. Eliminating the need for an additional sunblind, the design maintains headroom, fills the cabin with diffused light and saves weight (6kg) compared to an equivalent car with a powered sunshade.  

AIRBUMP^®: A CITROËN EXCLUSIVE

Unique to the New C4 Cactus and an instantly recognisable feature of the model, Citroën’s new Airbump^®technology neatly sums up the fundamental purpose of design, providing an innovative solution to everyday problems, in a stylish and practical way.

Fitted to the front and rear doors, the tough air-filled TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) capsules protect against minor bumps and scrapes. Airbump^® panels require no specific maintenance and reduce the stress and expense associated with car park dings and dents – cutting service and repair costs over the lifetime of the car.

GREATER COMFORT

The proportions of the New Citroën C4 Cactus are optimised for style, space and driving comfort with the de-cluttered cabin creating even more room for occupants.

Despite compact external dimensions – 4.16m long, 1.73m wide & 1.48m high – the 2.6m wheelbase and 1.48m height are virtually the same as the Citroën C4. This means plenty of leg, elbow and headroom inside for up to five adults.

The simplified dashboard creates more space for the front passenger and there are wide front seats that capture the style of a sofa. On ETG (Efficient Tronic Gearbox) versions, the gear selector is replaced by the neat ‘Easy Push’ system with ‘Drive, Neutral and Reverse’ push-button control, which makes room for a bench-style front seat layout.

Located on the passenger side of the dashboard, Top-Box is a large and easily accessible storage compartment made possible by new and exclusive ‘Airbag in Roof’ technology. This innovation delivers a roof-mounted front passenger airbag for the first time. The large airbag deploys from the roof and inflates correctly regardless of the passenger’s position. The 120-litre volume also ensures it covers the touchscreen area.

The doors feature large storage bins – big enough for two 1.5-litre bottles – as well as smaller storage trays. The boot is a generous 358-litre capacity, expandable to 1,170-litres with the rear seats folded.

MORE USEFUL TECHNOLOGY

The New Citroën C4 Cactus’ in-car technology focuses on connectivity, efficiency and usability without adding complexity – meeting real customer needs simply and intuitively.

Fitted as standard, the fully digital Touch Drive interface features a 7-inch touchscreen to control all the main vehicle functions, including;

• Automatic air conditioning
• Media (DAB radio, audio streaming, mobile connections, music and photo storage)
• Navigation (map view, speed limit display, traffic conditions, fuel-efficient routing)
• Driving Aids (reversing camera, Park Assist, speed limiter/cruise control)
• Telephone (hands-free via Bluetooth®, contacts, call management)
• Connected Services
• Vehicle Settings

All these controls are grouped on a single screen for practicality. For greater ease of use, there are convenient shortcut keys on either side of the main screen.

‘Magic Wash’ is an innovation that integrates targeted washer jets into the ends of the wiper blades, delivering the optimum amount of fluid directly in front of the blade itself. This new feature maintains visibility during operation, prevents overspray and reduces screen wash consumption – and therefore the size and weight of the reservoir – by 50%.

For a more relaxed drive, a range of innovative aids are also available, including;

• Park Assist, for automatic assistance when manoeuvring into a tight parallel parking space
• A reversing camera, which displays the rear view and guide lines on the touchscreen
• Hill Start Assist, to keep the car stationary when the brake pedal is released
• Static cornering lights, to provide an additional beam of light to the inside of bends, improving visibility and safety at corners and junctions
• Programmable speed limiter/cruise control, with up to six personalised speed settings
• Citroën eTouch, the brand’s localised emergency and assistance call system   

REDUCED COST OF OWNERSHIP

The New Citroën C4 Cactus shares the same platform as DS 3 (Platform1) and makes extensive use of the latest weight-saving materials, manufacturing processes and efficient design codes. The bonnet is aluminium, there are pop-out rear windows and a single-piece folding rear bench. Weighing from just 965kg, the model is 200kg lighter than an equivalent Citroën C4.

As a result, Citroën has been able to adopt smaller engines to improve efficiency, without compromising driveability. Combined with ultra-low rolling resistance tyres, the latest-generation PureTech petrol and BlueHDi diesel engines offer a responsive drive whilst delivering impressive combined fuel economy figures of up to 91.1mpg and CO₂ emissions from just 82g/km.

The New Citroën C4 Cactus is offered with six efficient powertrains, four petrol – PureTech 75, PureTech 82, PureTech 82 S&S & PureTech 110 S&S – and two HDi diesels – e-HDi 92 & BlueHDi 100.

Engines are mated to either 5-speed manual or 5 or 6-speed ETG (Efficient Tronic Gearbox) transmissions.

All diesel models are sub-100g/km of CO₂ and are eligible for free VED. There is even a VED-exempt petrol version – the PureTech 82 S&S ETG – which emits just 98g/km.

The weight-saving measures also reduce wear on other consumables, including tyres and brake pads.

Overall, the ‘design to value’ approach employed with C4 Cactus reduces running costs by around 20% compared with conventional models in the compact hatchback segment.

With its compact, efficient powertrains and well matched running gear, the Citroën C4 Cactus combines performance, comfort and driveability in a light-weight, easy-to-drive car.

2nd gen Panamara now with hybrid tech and a claimed 91mpg

• Second generation of Panamera Gran Turismo introduces plug-in hybrid technology to the executive segment for the first time
• Panamera S E-Hybrid offers 416 hp of combined power, with 95 hp electric motor and lithium-ion battery that can be recharged on the move or in four hours via appropriate domestic socket
• Fuel economy of up to 91 mpg on NEDC -- 71g/km CO2 -- with 0-62 mph in 5.5 seconds
• New twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 engine joins the range

World debut Shanghai Motor Show, 21 April; available to order now, in Porsche Centres from July
Since its launch in 2009, the Panamera Gran Turismo has successfully expanded the appeal of the Porsche marque into the executive saloon segment. Now, a new chapter in the development of the four door, four seater sports car opens with the unveiling of the second generation Panamera, led by the world’s first plug-in hybrid in the class.

The innovative Panamera S E-Hybrid offers combined system power of 416 hp and extends further the breadth of sportiness and comfort that characterises the model line. Furthermore, an entirely new twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 is now offered in the Panamera S and Panamera 4S. These new and further developed drivetrain technologies have enabled fuel savings of up to 56 per cent, while further enhancing ease of use and driving comfort.

The new Panamera underscores its exceptional positioning with a more expressive exterior design language signified by tighter lines, more pronounced contours and newly-shaped body elements. Overall, the new generation car is more efficient, sporting, comfortable and elegant and celebrates its world premiere at Auto China in Shanghai on 21 April.

Panamera S E-Hybrid sets new standards in efficiency, performance and convenience

The Panamera S E-Hybrid is a systematically advanced development of the proven Porsche parallel full hybrid, with a more powerful electric motor, a higher-performance battery that supplies more energy and the ability to be recharged externally from the electrical grid.

The electric drive produces 95 hp (70 kW), which is more than double the power of the previous model’s 47 hp (34 kW) electric motor. It draws energy from a new lithium-ion battery, which at 9.4 kWh has over five times the 1.7 kWh energy capacity of the previous (nickel metal hydride) battery technology. When connected to an industrial outlet, it can be charged within around two and a half hours via the integrated on-board charger and the standard Porsche Universal Charger (AC), and it can be charged in less than four hours when connected to a conventional household electrical outlet.

With its increased output, the Panamera S E-Hybrid far exceeds the driving performance of the previous model. In addition, the NEDC fuel economy has increased by 56 per cent to 91 mpg, which equates to emissions of 71 g/km CO2. Furthermore, the all-electric driving performance has been substantially improved with regard to electric acceleration, the electric range and electric top speed.

An intensive pure electric driving experience is possible without any fuel consumption or local emissions, which is especially advantageous in the urban environment. The electric driving range of the Panamera S E-Hybrid has been determined as 22 miles (36 km) in NEDC-based testing. Driving range may vary in everyday operation, since air conditioning and heating are deactivated in NEDC test conditions, for example. A realistic all-electric driving range in everyday operation would lie somewhere between 11-22 miles – and under particularly favourable conditions it could even exceed this.

The Panamera S E-Hybrid can reach speeds of up to 84 mph in all-electric operation, and the acceleration time from 0-62 mph has been shortened by half a second to 5.5 seconds. The electric boost function helps here, in which the performance of the electric motor aids that of the combustion engine. Boosting can also be activated by kick-down – such as when overtaking. The car’s overall top speed is 168 mph. The parallel full hybrid concept developed by Porsche also offers ‘coasting’ at higher speeds, which refers to free coasting with the internal combustion engine shut off and generating electricity by energy recovery.

The forward-looking concept of the Panamera S E-Hybrid also embodies an entirely new range of convenience functions, which can also be activated and called up by a smart phone ‘app’. There is the charge status indicator, for example. In addition, the auxiliary climate control option of the plug-in hybrid enables car pre-heating or cooling via Porsche Car Connect; it can be programmed in the vehicle or even more conveniently via the smart phone app. A smart phone may also be used for battery management or for remote access to vehicle information such as the remaining driving range or for guiding users back to their parked vehicles. All functions that are not specific to the hybrid drive are also available as options for the other Panamera models via the Car Connect smart phone app from Porsche.

More performance and efficiency by downsizing: new twin-turbo V6 engine

Boosting performance and efficiency is a core competency at Porsche. In developing the new Panamera, this led to an entirely new engine based on the downsizing concept: a V6 engine with 3.0-litres displacement and twin turbocharging. The V6 bi-turbo replaces the previous 4.8-litre V8 engine in the Panamera S and Panamera 4S. Its basic parameters themselves are indicators of progress: 20 hp more power and a further 20 Newton metres of torque, combined with up to 18 per cent better fuel economy compared with the V8. This not only gives the driver a more powerful and efficient engine; turbocharging results in the maximum torque of 520 Nm being available over a very broad range of engine speeds for a superior and uniform power curve, even at low revs.

The majority of Panamera models feature the seven-speed Porsche Doppelkupplung PDK dual-clutch transmission. The eight-speed Tiptronic S automatic is used in the Panamera Diesel and Panamera S E-Hybrid, which creates optimal conditions for further development of other efficiency functions. For example, the extended start-stop function now deactivates the engine earlier while coasting to a stop, which saves more fuel. With the exception of the Panamera GTS, models with PDK also offer a coasting function in which the clutches open in overrun, the engine idles, and the vehicle coasts freely. This function can significantly improve fuel economy, especially when travelling on the motorway.

Design development highlighted by a new option of LED headlights

The evolutionary exterior design of the new Panamera is at first identified by the tighter and more prominent line-work on the nose, particularly the larger air intakes and the distinctive transition to the headlights. In side profile, the new, more swept-back rear window creates an extended silhouette. When viewed from the rear, the new generation Panamera is primarily identified by its new tailgate, and the wider rear window visually emphasises the sporting character. The rear section itself has also been redesigned, including the wider spoiler, and it shows a tighter transition to the rear lights, similar to the headlight treatment at the front of the car.

The new Panamera models also offer many differentiating exterior characteristics. Further customisation is achieved by a variety of options, including new LED headlights, which give the Gran Turismo a very distinctive appearance. In addition, an extended line-up of optional assistance systems is available for safety and convenience. The adaptive cruise control system, for example, now actively intervenes in the braking process in hazardous situations, and camera-based traffic sign detection and lane departure warning offer greater convenience.

The new generation Porsche Panamera will arrive in Porsche Centres from July 2013. Prices will be confirmed in due course.

Standard equipment on all models includes Bi-Xenon headlights, multi-function steering wheel, automatic tailgate opening, leather interior, dual-zone automatic climate control, front and rear parking sensors, cruise control, Porsche Communication Management satellite navigation with seven-inch touch-screen, Digital radio, eight-way powered front seat adjustment, front and rear electric windows and a three-year warranty. Four-wheel drive models add Porsche Traction Management (PTM) all-wheel drive.

Fitted to every Panamera is a Porsche Vehicle Tracking System (VTS), a sophisticated vehicle security package approved to Thatcham Category 5 standard. Customers will also be able to explore the potential of their new car, and further develop their own skills behind the wheel, by participating in a complimentary course at the Porsche Experience Centre, Silverstone.